THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 11, 1994 TAG: 9409090034
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
As a board member of the local chapter of the American Lung Association for 10 years, I have been primarily concerned with the health aspects of tobacco smoke, especially as it concerns the non-smoker. The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star have previously been very supportive of the rights of non-smokers because of the health factors involved.
It now appears, based on the Aug. 26 editorial ``Rights up in smoke,'' that the new editorial page editor, John Barnes, may not be as supportive of the rights of non-smokers as was the previous editorial page editor. The editorial in question concerns Action on Smoking and Health's (ASH) lawsuit forcing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to make a ruling concerning banning smoking in the workplace.
ASH's main concern is the fact that, according to many studies, including the Environmental Protection Agency's, secondhand tobacco smoke is a carcinogen. Your editorial counters that ``that finding has been challenged by numerous independent researchers.'' Whom do you believe?
Well, isn't it prudent that where cancer is involved, you take the safe course and eliminate the exposure, if at all possible? If indeed tobacco smoke is a Class A carcinogen, as the EPA has found, then it puts it in the same category as other regulated carcinogens, such as benzene and asbestos.
You further argue that OSHA does not have to issue any edict concerning smoking in the workplace because it is already being dealt with. That may be true in many cases, but it is not true in all cases. What about those people who are not protected in the workplace or in other public places where smoking is allowed?
For me, exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke is a major health issue. The overwhelming majority of studies both here and throughout the rest of the world have declared tobacco smoke a health hazard, to both smoker and non-smoker. In addition, no medical or scientific study has established a safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke. Therefore, any exposure should be considered a health hazard.
The time to act has long since passed. In order to protect those people who do not want to be exposed to the dangers of secondhand tobacco smoke, the government, including agencies such as OSHA, should immediately ban smoking wherever the public gathers!
DONALD BURNS
Norfolk, Sept. 6, 1994 by CNB